Ban on alcohol sales in restaurants, other venues will cost industry Bt9 billion, TABBA chief bemoans

By THE NATION

 

 

The government’s order banning the drinking of alcoholic beverages at restaurants and other entertainment venues since January 4 in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 is estimated to affect more than 1 million entrepreneurs and employees and cost the industry Bt9 billion, said Thanakorn Kuptajit, secretary-general of the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association (TABBA).

 

“The peak season for selling alcoholic beverages is between December and April, and this ban could result in a revenue loss of 30 per cent, or Bt9 billion, across the whole industry, while the total market value could dip to Bt300 billion should the ban last until the end of 2021,” he said.

 

Thanakorn said the total market value of the alcoholic beverages industry by the end of 2018 was recorded at Bt370 billion. This number covered both domestic and imported beverages.

 

“The ban will affect not only business owners but also their employees and their families who rely on income from these venues. The association estimates that more than one million people could be affected,” he said.

 

“Furthermore, these businesses have already been suffering from the ban on selling alcohol via electronic channels, which came into effect on December 7,” he pointed out.

 

Fearing that many alcohol sellers will be forced out of business with their sales channels, both online and at restaurants, being banned, Thanakorn suggested that the government should postpone or relax either ban temporarily.

 

“If the ban on drinking at restaurants cannot be lifted, then at least the government should allow alcohol sales online,” Thanakorn said.

 

“Online selling also complies with the government’s Covid-19 measures of maintaining social distance and reducing travel to crowded areas,” he said.

 

Thanakorn also said that most alcoholic beverages sold online are craft beer, with 60-70 per cent of entrepreneurs selling via online channels and only 30-40 per cent doing so from restaurants.

 

“These entrepreneurs, who have a total market share of Bt3 billion to Bt4 billion, are mostly start-ups and have limited sales channels to begin with. They had been hit the hardest since the ban on online selling came into effect,” he added.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30400914

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2021-01-08

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

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As long as people can still drink at a concrete table with a chess board on it, half the forum should be okay. 

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

“The ban will affect not only business owners but also their employees and their families who rely on income from these venues. The association estimates that more than one million people could be affected,” he said.

They don't care.

If they could get away with it they would ban it indefinitely.

Complaining to this government is akin to p*ssing into the wind.

There is nothing wrong with restaurants selling alcohol providing it is managed correctly QED  

It costs the industry 9 billion? Now imagine how much their addicted customers can save during these difficult times. 

Wow! If people were drinking so much alcohol in restaurants why are the bars closed and NOT the restaurants?

Has anyone seen an official reason for the banning of alcohol?

An official reason for the ban in Restaurants?

Official reasons would be welcome plus translation if at all possible.

Buy at 7/11 take into restaurant in a flask no ploblum ????

9 minutes ago, alant said:

Has anyone seen an official reason for the banning of alcohol?

An official reason for the ban in Restaurants?

Official reasons would be welcome plus translation if at all possible.

Reason/excuse/idea of the month?

1 hour ago, Geoffggi said:

There is nothing wrong with restaurants selling alcohol providing it is managed correctly QED  

Haven't you been reading the latest regulations ? It is not allowed !

24 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Buy at 7/11 take into restaurant in a flask no ploblum ????

The last time before they actually banned booze, there was gangs of people sitting outside 7/11's drinking, I think here in Phuket then they just banned alcohol sales completely

So the hugely rich industry is moaning that it will lose money. What about the hundreds of thousands who have lost their jobs, their rented homes and more. I have no sympathy for the Association & it's members.

I dont see them losing that much money, I dont go out every night like I used too but that doesn't stop me drinking so Im still buying beer the only difference I stay home and drink it, Like a lot of people.

Can somebody give me a decent explanation why reataurants cannot sell alcohol??  What has a glass of wine or a beer got to donwith Covid?? The guy who banned this does he know himself??

2 minutes ago, flyfrog said:

Can somebody give me a decent explanation why reataurants cannot sell alcohol??  What has a glass of wine or a beer got to donwith Covid?? The guy who banned this does he know himself??

Thai logic dont think to mut

1 hour ago, Geoffggi said:

There is nothing wrong with restaurants selling alcohol providing it is managed correctly QED  

So therefore there's nothing wrong with bars selling alcohol either!!!!

6 minutes ago, dave moir said:

So therefore there's nothing wrong with bars selling alcohol either!!!!

If you are sitting in a bar alone having a beer then no ploblem, some bars where I live get quite busy and people congregate so no social distancing 

13 minutes ago, flyfrog said:

Can somebody give me a decent explanation why reataurants cannot sell alcohol??  What has a glass of wine or a beer got to donwith Covid?? The guy who banned this does he know himself??

To prevent people from gathering in large groups at a restaurant and using it like a bar. 

12 minutes ago, flyfrog said:

Can somebody give me a decent explanation why reataurants cannot sell alcohol??  What has a glass of wine or a beer got to donwith Covid?? The guy who banned this does he know himself??

Usual scapegoats: Alcohol, Burmese people, "wicked" gamblers, Shinawatras, etc.

1 minute ago, Kaopad999 said:

To prevent people from gathering in large groups at a restaurant and using it like a bar. 

Thats exactly what happened here the last time, me and a friend were sitting there one night and this place just got to busy, we left before the police arrived, 

There are restaurant / bar / pubs that have closed because the alcohol is where they make their real money.  Not the food they serve ...  Thus leading to more people out of work for this ban!

 

It would be easy to not ban alcohol in bars then go around and shut down (not get paid off) the bars that don't adhere to social distancing inside.  Closing at 10pm helps a lot too.

46 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

Haven't you been reading the latest regulations ? It is not allowed !

Yes I have please read what I was commenting on, which was my opinion of whether restaurants should be allowed to sell 

29 minutes ago, dave moir said:

So therefore there's nothing wrong with bars selling alcohol either!!!!

The clue is in "Providing it is managed correctly" ...........LOL

1 hour ago, Oldie said:

It costs the industry 9 billion? Now imagine how much their addicted customers can save during these difficult times. 

 They can spend the money on new clothes for themselves or children, proper food, paying off overdue expense, buying school material for kids, healthcare, new teeth, a wheelchair for granny or maybe the sex change that someone always wanted.

 

7 minutes ago, HaoleBoy said:

There are restaurant / bar / pubs that have closed because the alcohol is where they make their real money.  Not the food they serve ...  Thus leading to more people out of work for this ban!

 

It would be easy to not ban alcohol in bars then go around and shut down (not get paid off) the bars that don't adhere to social distancing inside.  Closing at 10pm helps a lot too.

If the restaurant is making most it's profits from alcohol, then i doubt the food can be very good, or maybe just overpriced. If that's the case then the owners should think about just opening a bar instead. 

18 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Thats exactly what happened here the last time, me and a friend were sitting there one night and this place just got to busy, we left before the police arrived, 

Yeah exactly, it happens so often here, so i can understand the logical reasoning why the would ban alcohol sales in restaurants 

29 minutes ago, huangnon said:

Usual scapegoats: Alcohol, Burmese people, "wicked" gamblers, Shinawatras, etc.

Well, the problem it not with alcohol itself, but some of the people that drink it. Governments like to micromanage the population instead of actually spending more time and money on  educating them  But it's always gong to be very difficult during an emergency such as a pandemic, tough & temporary  measures sometimes have to be implemented. 

18 hours ago, webfact said:

Ban on alcohol sales in restaurants, other venues will cost industry Bt9 billion, TABBA chief bemoans

By THE NATION

 

 

The government’s order banning the drinking of alcoholic beverages at restaurants and other entertainment venues since January 4 in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 is estimated to affect more than 1 million entrepreneurs and employees and cost the industry Bt9 billion, said Thanakorn Kuptajit, secretary-general of the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association (TABBA).

 

“The peak season for selling alcoholic beverages is between December and April, and this ban could result in a revenue loss of 30 per cent, or Bt9 billion, across the whole industry, while the total market value could dip to Bt300 billion should the ban last until the end of 2021,” he said.

 

Thanakorn said the total market value of the alcoholic beverages industry by the end of 2018 was recorded at Bt370 billion. This number covered both domestic and imported beverages.

 

“The ban will affect not only business owners but also their employees and their families who rely on income from these venues. The association estimates that more than one million people could be affected,” he said.

 

“Furthermore, these businesses have already been suffering from the ban on selling alcohol via electronic channels, which came into effect on December 7,” he pointed out.

 

Fearing that many alcohol sellers will be forced out of business with their sales channels, both online and at restaurants, being banned, Thanakorn suggested that the government should postpone or relax either ban temporarily.

 

“If the ban on drinking at restaurants cannot be lifted, then at least the government should allow alcohol sales online,” Thanakorn said.

 

“Online selling also complies with the government’s Covid-19 measures of maintaining social distance and reducing travel to crowded areas,” he said.

 

Thanakorn also said that most alcoholic beverages sold online are craft beer, with 60-70 per cent of entrepreneurs selling via online channels and only 30-40 per cent doing so from restaurants.

 

“These entrepreneurs, who have a total market share of Bt3 billion to Bt4 billion, are mostly start-ups and have limited sales channels to begin with. They had been hit the hardest since the ban on online selling came into effect,” he added.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30400914

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2021-01-08

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Don't personally think banning alcohol in a proper restaurant with a meal will make a blind bit of difference to the spread of a virus. The simply fact of everyone sat together eating a meal with no masks from different households is just as likely to spread a virus with or without alcohol. Most restaurants are hygienically safe in most countries around the world and now all staff are wearing masks and taking more care over cleaning and regular sanitising than ever. More chance of catching a virus in a busy supermarket than at a restaurant!!

Anyway nothing learnt from history then.. prohibition never worked, just went underground. 

I wasn't even aware of a ban. I had two meals in Ubon and again in Khon Khaen with a beer each and it was business as usual.

18 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

They don't care.

If they could get away with it they would ban it indefinitely.

 

Can you please explain why you think they would want to ban it when there is so much revenue to be made?